Age of The Nerd
FX’S Atlanta is one of the hottest shows on television right now. That is a bold statement, but on April 5th, Atlanta aired an episode titled, “Teddy Perkins”, and everything was turned upside down in a Twin Peaks kind of way that no one was expecting. What was told was both creepy and sad.
The episode ran for 41 minutes commercial free, which meant the network believed what was transpiring on screen. Going commercial free also gave the episode an almost moviesque feeling and I believe it worked perfectly. The “Teddy Perkins” episode revolved round the character of Darius (Lakeith Stanfield) venturing out on his own in a rented U-Haul jamming out to Stevie Wonder. As a viewer I was under the impression that Darius would get into some funny or mischievous escapades just like the other characters are known to do in the series. That impression flew out the window when Darius pulls up in front of an old gothic looking mansion.
Darius walks up into the mansion which is unlocked, and viewers of many scary movies are probably yelling not to do so. As Darius walks around the mansion he is confronted by Teddy who looks identical in a spoofy kind of way to Michael Jackson after too many surgeries complete with a high-pitched voice. Darius sits with Teddy and talks about music as Teddy cracks open an Ostrich egg and proceeds to eat it as the creepiness keeps escalating. Darius has come to the mansion to get his hands on a free piano that he saw on some website. Teddy reveals that his brother was a great piano player named Benny and that he lives here in the mansion, but he is not well, and Teddy takes care of him.
As I watched the episode unfold I couldn’t help but notice the different nods to Michael Jackson in different pictures like on the piano and in the hallway when Darius is walking around. The show takes a hard look at what can happen when a parent pushes there children too far and the psychological impact. As Teddy keeps talking Darius realizes that he might just be a little crazy and Benny his brother might be just a figment of his imagination. A story unfolds that will have fans going back to analyze things. I know I will.
It was recently revealed that Donald Glover played the part of Teddy, and while on set Glover acted like the creepy Teddy the entire time. I had no clue while watching the show that he was the one that was behind heavy makeup and blue contacts. The episode was written by Glover and directed by Hiro Murai.
The second season of Atlanta is known as the “Robbery” season. In each episode a robbery occurs whether intentional or metaphorically. The Teddy Perkins episode could be looked as a metaphor for fathers that steal the childhood and youth from there children so that they can line their pockets with cash, and the kids end up pretty messed up in later years. Donald Glover shows his brilliance in telling a creepy story, and I hope one day that he teams up with Jordan Peele and they set Hollywood afire.
